WEB EXCLUSIVE: A mother and daughter are believed to have had a lucky escape after lightening struck a house in the fens today (Friday). The incident happened at 3.04pm at a house in Gorefield, near Wisbech, and the strike caused extensive damage to the roof, chimney and the upper floor was left

WEB EXCLUSIVE

A mother and daughter are believed to have had a lucky escape after lightening struck a house in the fens today (Friday).

The incident happened at 3.04pm at a house in Gorefield, near Wisbech, and the strike caused extensive damage to the roof, chimney and the upper floor was left structurally unsound.

The lightning strike also hit a nearby transformer on the same road and cut off the power supply in the immediate area.

Two fire crews from Wisbech attended the detached two-storey house and checked the area damaged by the lightning with a thermal imaging camera, but found the fire to be totally out.

Steve Robinson, Station Manager for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, said last night: “Unfortunately there was absolutely nothing that could have been done to prevent this incident.

“It was a force of nature and it has destroyed this house to the point that it is now structurally unsound.

“Thankfully, however, the mother and daughter in the house at the time escaped any serious injuries.”

Fire crews returned to base by 4.11pm.

It is understood that the home belonged to a David Bullen and that his wife who was at home at the time of the incident phoned him to get him to urgently return.